Our Fundraising Heroes
Inspiring stories from our Pancreatic Cancer UK Community
Do you want to be a hero?
Share your fundraising story with us today on fundraise@pancreaticcancer.org.uk.
Mike
Mike wanted to organise a fundraising activity that everyone of all abilities could get involved in, in memory of his brother, Keith, and mum, Myrtle, who both passed away from pancreatic cancer. As part of a huge family, Mike got his children, grandchildren and wider family involved, as he said, "mum had wonderful memories of building sandcastles with her parents, her siblings and with us as children", so wanted to honour her memory by recreating those times
Mike asked for a donation of £5-10 from friends and family, and then they built sandcastles in the shape of their loved one's name, and place shells or beach stones on top. Mike wanted this to bring "smiles and joy to us in the memory of the ones we’ve lost"
Cameron
Understanding he was too small to achieve the 7 in a day, he wanted to do them all before his imminent 7th birthday, in memory of his Auntie Colette, to help the scientist's find a cure.
Cameron completed his final peak around Colette's birthday, celebrating at the top with loved ones who flew in from all over to join him in his journey. He has now raised an astonishing £3,446!"
Hazel and The Spartans
The Spartans chose Pancreatic Cancer UK as their charity of the year after many members have been personally affected. Cathy Craig, the 17-time marathoner known as “the Running Mum” of Stevenage’s Fairfield Valley Spartans (FVS) was diagnosed with and passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2022. Harlow police officer Bev Alexander, was lost to the disease in 2023. Bev’s dying wish was that a concerted effort be made to ramp up pancreatic research in the UK.
Her and Cathy’s premature passing led Spartans team-leader Hazel Smith, Cathy’s daughter, and club member Nigel Strongitharm, a close friend of Bev and her husband Gary, to propose Pancreatic Cancer UK as the running club’s annual charity for 2024. FVS embraced the idea and set a goal of £20,000.
Hazel said, “A train of people in my family have died from pancreatic cancer. My mum, Cathy, lost her father to pancreatic cancer when he was 54; he’d lost his mum when she was 42. Mum died when she was 70, not long after she completed her last marathon. It’s a horrible disease but she found it nearly impossible to get appointments, answers, or medications from local hospitals and doctors.
Pancreatic Cancer UK were amazing, not just in the practical medical support they gave us, but in providing mental and emotional support too. The work they do meant so much to Mum, Dad, and me, so Dad and I wanted to do everything we could to give back to it.”
The Club raised their amazing total through the Stevenage half-marathon, club quizzes, coffee mornings, raffles held over the course of the year, and matched funds from the likes of Lloyds of London. One raffle was run by Nigel and Sarah Strongitharm’s Brewery Tea Rooms & Gift Shop in Walkern.
Need to speak to someone?
If you’d like to speak to someone about your fundraising, or you’d like some tips, ideas or advice then we’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch with us using the details below.
Cameron
Understanding he was too small to achieve the 7 in a day, he wanted to do them all before his imminent 7th birthday, in memory of his Auntie Colette, to help the scientist's find a cure.
Cameron completed his final peak around Colette's birthday, celebrating at the top with loved ones who flew in from all over to join him in his journey. He has now raised an astonishing £3,446!"
Cameron
Understanding he was too small to achieve the 7 in a day, he wanted to do them all before his imminent 7th birthday, in memory of his Auntie Colette, to help the scientist's find a cure.
Cameron completed his final peak around Colette's birthday, celebrating at the top with loved ones who flew in from all over to join him in his journey. He has now raised an astonishing £3,446!"
